World Cup 2014: Pierre van Hooijdonk tells Mexico fan to 'shut the f*** up' after he argues over Arjen Robben's admission of diving

Van Hooijdonk furiously defended the Netherlands' star player for the last-minute penalty that saw them beat Mexico 2-1 in the World Cup second round

Pierre van Hooijdonk swore at a Mexico fan during an argument (Getty Images)

Former Netherlands international Pierre van Hooijdonk told a Mexican fan to “shut the f*** up” after he became embroiled in a row over Arjen Robben’s admission of diving.

The 44-year-old responded fiercely to claims that Robben had deliberately dived to win the match-winning penalty in the Netherlands’ 2-1 second round victory over Mexico while working on Dutch TV.

Robben, who has shone for the Dutch in Brazil, has admitted that he did dive earlier in the match in an effort to win a penalty. But he stressed that he didn’t dive for the final penalty that saw the Netherlands book their place in the quarter-finals, where they will take on Costa Rica.

Afterwards the dispute, Van Hooidonk spoke to clarify what he had said.

“I told the Mexican to ‘shut the f*** up over the dive because it annoyed me,” said Van Hooijdonk.

“I said ‘did you watch the first half as well when he went in and he should have had in one movement two penalties and he didn't get it?’.

“Everyone forgets that. It's a thing a cloud comes above him when he should be in the sun because he has been tremendous for us.

“You know what, I sometimes hate this. I was on the plane sitting next to a Mexican and he showed us his friend blah blah blah... and I said ‘what is the problem?

“He said ‘he dived for the penalty’ and I said ‘no, he didn't dive for the penalty’. He said that he dived early on in the game. And that was it. He was being honest. He was chatting like he was with his friends.”

Van Hooijdonk was very protective of Robben, who he feels is streets ahead of anyone else in the squad, and while the former Nottingham Forest and Celtic star believes the Dutch have the quality to win the World Cup, their dependence on Robben, Robin van Persie and Wesley Sneijder is a weakness.

“He is not only our star player by a little bit, but by a long way,” added Van Hooijdonk. “Everyone realised that we rely on Robben, Robin van Persie and Wesley Sneijder and that's a weakness as well because if these players are not on form, we struggle.

“But Robben is destroying everyone at the moment. Everyone says when he was younger he was selfish.

“This player now captains Holland (when van Persie is off the pitch), then wins the penalty, walks with the ball and Dirk Kuyt tells him put it in.

“Then Robben looks at Klaas Jan Huntelaar and he thinks: he has fresh legs - here you go do that.

“When I was at Benfica I saw someone beat two players in the box, went down grabbed the ball and went to the penalty spot.

“I had already scored five but he took the ball and said ‘I will take it because they made a foul on me.’ Yes, f*** off you.”

Robben won a controversial late penalty as the Netherlands beat Mexico in Fortaleza (Getty Images)

Manager Louis van Gaal led an open training session for the Netherlands on Wednesday, although Robben did not complete the session while Van Persie was forced to train with heavy strapping around his left ankle. Both are expected to be fit for Saturday night’s quarter-final against Costa Rica.